World War ITimeline

1916

27 September

Enlisted at the age of 22

3rd Reinforcements

1916

4 October

Trained

Narrow Neck, Auckland

1916

15 November

Transfer to England

HMNZT 69 Tahiti

1916

16 November

Two New Zealand Tunnellers working underground during World War I; one man shovels rubble while the other digs into the chalk tunnel wall.

The Company began the operations to connect old underground quarries in Arras in order to accommodate thousands of soldiers for an upcoming battle

1916

27 December

Awarded 2 days confinement to barracks

1917

29 January

Marched in to NZ Depot, Boscombe

1917

23 February

Awarded 2 days confinement to barracks and forfeited 1 day pay under Royal Warrant for absence without leave

1917

2 March

Embarked for France

1917

4 March

Marched in to NZ Base Depot, Etaples

1917

9 April

British Offensive

Battle of Arras

Soldiers marching along a road carrying shovels, heading toward a section of the road that requires repair during World War I.

The Company was employed to rebuild a major road leading to the Front during the battle

1917

13 April

Joined the Company

1917

5 May

A group of New Zealand Tunnellers posing inside their billet in an underground quarry near the front line; four of them are playing cards while others look on.

The Company moved to Monchy, ten kilometres east of Arras, to work on the fortification of the new front line

1918

1 January

Overview of the sawmill built and operated by the New Zealand Tunnellers, located alongside a railway line, with stacks of timber and workers visible.

The Company was still carrying out the digging of underground premises and defences on the Front near Arras

1918

17 March

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1918

21 March

German Attacks

Spring Offensive

Two soldiers standing outside the entrance of a shaft in a desolate area of the front line, surrounded by barren ground and war-damaged terrain.

The Company was engaged in the defence of Arras by digging new trenches and dug-outs under constant enemy shellfire

1918

21 April

Rejoined the Company

Awarded 28 days Field Punishment No.1 and forfeited 17 days pay by Royal Warrant for overstaying leave

1918

8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive

1918

19 August

Admitted to hospital

1918

20 August

Diagnosed with scabies

Rejoined the Company

1918

27 September

Officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company posing in front of a newly completed military bridge built by their men during World War I.

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918

11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice

Military bridge built by the New Zealand Tunnellers spanning a river in the town of Cambrai; surrounding houses are a mix of intact structures and war-damaged ruins.

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918

26 December

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1919

14 January

Marched in to NZ Sling Camp, Bulford

1919

4 February

Marched in to NZ Depot, Codford

1919

12 March

Awarded 28 days detention and forfeited 28 days pay for being in possession of stolen property and giving a false name and serial number to the police

1919

13 March

Granted remission of 26 days detention

1919

14 March

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Ionic

1919

26 August

Granted sick leave

1919

8 September

Reported to local Defence Office

1920

10 February

Forfeited 1 day pay by Royal Warrant for absence without leave from sanatorium

1920

28 April

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of James Petrie“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/676/wwi-timeline